Presenter Information

Abstract

To be competitive in our global economy, Information Systems (IS) graduates are expected to have mastered content as well as have developed people-related or 21st century soft-skills such as teamwork, effective communication, and cross-cultural interactions. The challenge is the infusion of soft-skill development into the curriculum in a manner that enhances the classroom learning experience. Arguably, the sooner the better. This paper reports on research conducted to examine ways in which to instill both 21st century and domain-specific knowledge. We examined the effectiveness of using student response systems to facilitate content based collaborative learning and examined whether participation in heterogeneous groups can lead to the strengthening of soft-skills development and content knowledge. Results from the study revealed that the use of sound pedagogy coupled with good instructional design strategies can be used to engage students in intense and purposeful interactions, which led to stronger individual and group academic performance.

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To be competitive in our global economy, Information Systems (IS) graduates are expected to have mastered content as well as have developed people-related or 21st century soft-skills such as teamwork, effective communication, and cross-cultural interactions. The challenge is the infusion of soft-skill development into the curriculum in a manner that enhances the classroom learning experience. Arguably, the sooner the better. This paper reports on research conducted to examine ways in which to instill both 21st century and domain-specific knowledge. We examined the effectiveness of using student response systems to facilitate content based collaborative learning and examined whether participation in heterogeneous groups can lead to the strengthening of soft-skills development and content knowledge. Results from the study revealed that the use of sound pedagogy coupled with good instructional design strategies can be used to engage students in intense and purposeful interactions, which led to stronger individual and group academic performance.